traci a.

This site used to be one of those where you type in a code off the product you bought to earn points and use the points for little stuff like books and spoons. It had some problems. Sometimes it was difficult to discern the codes. (B or 8, for example.) It might take a few tries. Plus, the points expired rather fast.

Not so long ago, they changed the format to photographing the receipts. It would seem they did this to discourage people from using the site at all. Not too many people are going to bother with all that. And, if you do, they're just going to reject every single receipt as "unreadable."

It's kind of unbelievable to me that a huge corporation like Kellogg's would be so petty over so little, but there you go. I'm buying other brands now. Their cereal's less expensive, anyway.

This was once one of the best "points for clicks" sites out there, despite its total absence of customer service. Contact with MyPoints only consists of standard replies which are clearly computer generated, as they're never quite on topic. But, hey, it's free and you could rack up a lot of points, so a few glitches or whatever were acceptable.

The site has changed quite a bit, though, over the years. Points are scarcer and mistakes are frequent. About the third time you've done twenty minutes of a survey and don't even get the participation points, you'll be over it. Not to mention promised points that don't get added and a survey site that will glitch so badly as to get kicked off the browser.

I'm not dropping this site, as I'm willing to settle for less than half the rewards I used to get, and I'm patient. I'd not recommend you bother with this one if you're just starting, however. Many other sites are much better.

This site is like if Fresh Market were a warehouse club that delivers. Pricey. Yet tempting, maybe, if you're not close to anything like that.

It offers a tempting "free trial," as well. Sign up and get a super deal (mine was organic almond butter for $2 delivered). Cancel within three months and no membership fee is charged.

The site doesn't allow one to cancel, however. Instead, the cancel button gets you a message informing you that you will be contacted by customer service within 24 hours.

At which point, I'm annoyed by the unnecessary complication and a bit weary of the questionable business ethics implied by it.

Turns out, I had good reason to be. The message from "Darbrielle (Member Services)" was the pitch for reduced services at a reduced rate that I was expecting at this point, so I politely thanked her, declined, and asked to be "immediately" canceled.

Astonishingly, that still did not happen. Instead, I received a second email reiterating the previous offer, or otherwise demanding what is, by now, my *third* cancellation request.

It took me a couple of days to draft a response which did not include profanity. The terse reply finally relented, adding that, "If you do decide to shop with us again, please note that the nonrefundable membership fee will be charged the day after you place your order." Yeah. That's not gonna happen.

I can't even imagine what hoops these folks might have in store for someone with billing or delivery mistakes, but I urge you to never find out.